Taras Natyshak MPP, Essex

Birth certificates

Births are recorded by the province through the Office of the Registrar General, a department of the Ministry of Government Services. For applications and further information, please click on the links below.

You MUST apply in person at my Community Office. Only credit card applications will be processed at the Community Office. All other applications (either cash or money order) must be made in person at the Toronto office.

What is the difference between short form and long form birth certificates?

A short form is an extract of information from the original birth registration. It is useful as basic identification.

A long form is a certified copy of the birth registration and is needed when you are:

Moving to another country

An executor for a foreign estate

Are adopting a child abroad

Filling out certain citizenship or immigration documents

Am I entitled to apply for the birth certificate?

You are entitled to apply:

If the birth took place in the province of Ontario.

If the application is for your own birth certificate and you are at least 13 years old.

If the application is for your child’s birth certificate and you are named as a parent on your child’s original birth registration.

If you are the legal guardian of a child and you can provide court documents proving that you have custody of the child.

If you are the next-of-kin, executor or estate administrator, and the person named on the certificate is deceased. You must provide proof of death, (e.g., a death certificate or a funeral director’s statement of death, and any other documentation requested by the Office of the Registrar General). You will only be able to obtain a long form (certified copy) of a birth certificate. Short form birth certificates will not be issued for a deceased person.

The Office of the Registrar General maintains birth registrations for 95 years. For records older than this, please contact the Archives of Ontario.

Do I have a valid guarantor?

If you are applying for a birth certificate for an individual nine years of age or older you need a guarantor.

A guarantor is a Canadian citizen and someone who has known you (the applicant) personally for at least 2 years, and is currently serving in or a practicing member in good standing of a profession from this guarantor’s list.

The role of the guarantor is to certify that information provided on a birth certificate application is as complete and accurate as possible. If required, a qualified guarantor must also be available to verify the information with the Office of the Registrar General.